Operating in the spirit of its “Most Wanted” posters, the FBI–which has just assembled a new task force on art theft–posts pictures of stolen items on its Web site.

Weirdest story out of the top ten most valuable stolen goods:

6. Breitwieser’s European spree (1995-2001). Stephane Breitwieser, a waiter, was arrested in Switzerland after pinching hundreds of pieces across Europe (with a total value of $14 million to $20 million) over the course of seven years. In an attempt to cover her son’s tracks, Breitwieser’s mother took a hammer and scissors to stolen paintings, and tossed vases and statues into a local canal; more than 100 items were later removed from the mud and restored.

From The Atlantic, April 2005 (subscription only).